Same-Sex Divorce? Not in Texas!

The cynic in me believes that one reason why the legal community has tended to support gay marriage is that same-sex marriages will increase the number of divorce cases--probably exponentially.  Well, one Texas court has thrown a gay couple a real curve--no divorce because there is no gay marriage--at least in Texas!  No gay divorce in Texas

A Dobson-Beck alliance?  A black robe regiment of "Christian conservatives"?  What is that all about?  Now I am really creeped out.  More two-kingdom confusion at its finest.  A Beck-Dobson Alliance?

The Jesus Seminar--which, apparently, has miraculously resurrected itself--is now celebrating the 25th anniversary of their collective tantrum against their fundamentalist up-bringing.  I noticed that one of the featured speakers deals with the thesis that Paul was not a Christian.  OK . . .  What else would you expect from these guys and gals?  Jesus Seminar's 25th Anniversary

Finally, this strikes close to home.  Should sex offenders be allowed in church?

As you may know, Christ Reformed has had to deal with this issue--what do you do when a Megan's law offender becomes a Reformed Christian and wants to worship with you?  You let him worship, but escort him at all times while he is on campus, and you warn people that he's there (see Christ Reformed's policy here:  Christ Reformed's Megan's Law policy).  The results of the CT poll pretty much jibe with the reaction we've gotten from church members. 

Does Glenn Beck Make You Nervous?

The White Horse Inn blog has posted a number of helpful resources on the two kingdoms and why we must keep them distinct.  Beck's Two Kingdom Confusion

If we don't, we'll end up with a Mormon leading Jews, Muslims and Evangelicals together in prayer . . .  Wait, that just happened!

If we understand the two kingdoms, we'll understand why it would be perfectly OK for these diverse groups to work together on political causes, if only they kept their civil religion out of it!

Somebody ought to write a book on this!

"Jesus Is Lord" -- 1 Corinthians 12:1-3

Here's the audio from Sunday's sermon, the twenty-first in a series on 1 Corinthians.

Click here

This Week's White Horse Inn

An Interview with Graeme Goldsworthy

According to Australian theologian Graeme Goldsworthy, author of Gospel-Centered Hermeneutics, and According to Plan, the gospel of Christ is the central story of the entire Bible. But if this is the case, how then do we interpret various Old and New Testament texts in light of that fact? On this program, Michael Horton talks with Graeme about this question and other related issues addressed in his many books on this theme.

http://www.whitehorseinn.org/



Who Said That?

"For Christians concerned about Glenn [Beck]'s faith, I would ask the following questions: What fruit do you see produced by Glenn? . . . Good or bad?  If you judged Glenn only by the fruits he has produced, would you still hold concerns over his faith?  Christians concerned about Glenn's faith should judge the tree by its fruits, not its labels . . .  After all, Nancy Pelosi and Bill Clinton openly call themselves Christians... Although these individuals have the right labels, they have the wrong fruits."

You know the drill!  Leave your guess in the comments section below.  Please, no google searches or cheating.



Warfield Makes the Cut

Joe Carter has published a list in First Things of the 50 most influential religious figures in American history.  B. B. Warfield, Charles Hodge, Jonathan Edwards and Francis Schaeffer make the list.  But so do Charles Finney, Joseph Smith, L. Ron Hubbard and Madalyn Murray O'Hair.  50 Most Influential

Lee Irons is doing a very helpful series on Paul and "righteousness" terminology--specifically Paul's supposed dependence upon the Dead Sea Scrolls.  You can find the first in the series here:  Paul and the DSS

Wes Bredenhof explains why CanRC folk see things a bit differently than their URCNA brethren when it comes to the Nine Points of Synod Scheuerville.  Pastor Bredenhof is doing a yeoman's work in explaining the history of the CanRC on issues like this.  We can't have federative unity until we are on the same page.  This is a start.  You can read about it here:  Schilder and the Nine Points and here:  The Liberation and the Nine Points

Obama's "stimulus" package cost taxpayers more than Bush's Iraq War!  And it certainly didn't accomplish as much.  When will Congress stop this wreckless spending at home and abroad?  I know, that was a dumb question . . .  Here's the link, Quit Spending!   Last time I saw the figures, my share of the national debt was up to $44,000.00 and rising.

White Horse Inn Producer, Shane Rosenthal, on "Issues, Etc."

Our producer and good buddy Shane Rosenthal was on "Issues, Etc." earlier today talking about "Me-Centered" Bible interpretation.  Good stuff.

Here's the link:  Me-Centered Bible Interpretation

Michael Been (1950-2010)

You may have heard the news that the frontman/bassist of the Call, Michael Been, died of a massive heart attack last week in Belgium.  Until his death, Been had been the techie behind the band The Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, which featured his son Robert Levon Been.

Back in the day, the Call was one of my favorite bands, and Been was one of the few songwriters who wrote lyrics with which I could identify.  He was also a great performer and bassist and had a powerful stage presence.  We saw the Call perform many times.

The Call was one of the few bands which (at the time) eschewed the "Christian band" label, yet openly addressed Been's Oklahoma fundamentalist roots.  Been ended up married to an ELCA pastorette, and played the Apostle John in the Last Temptation of Christ.  I never could figure out where he landed, only that "Let the Day Begin" is a great articulation of the doctrine of vocation.

"I Still Believe" meant a lot to me back in those difficult days when I was giving up my fundamentalist past and embracing Reformed theology.  While I don't miss the eighties electronics-dominated sound of the Call (give me the crunchy, raw sound of bands like the Black Keys), I'll listen to "Reconciled"--one of my ten desert island albums--at full blast today and relive a few moments of my past.

This Week's White Horse Inn

A Conversation on Global Evangelism

On this edition of the White Horse Inn, we're featuring a panel discussion on global evangelism, sponsored by the Lausanne Movement for World Evangelization. This conversation recently took place on the campus of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California, and features Skye Jethani, Michael Horton, Jim Belcher, Kay Warren, Jena Lee Nardella, Miles McPherson and Soong Chan Rah.

http://www.whitehorseinn.org/



Who Said That?

"She and I kept a clean life, that's a fact," ____ said. "We kept our marriage vows. There was nothing immoral ever on her part or my part. And I want you to know to this minute, I am clean and so is she."

Please leave your guess in the comments section below.  Please, no google searches or cheating.  Answer to follow next week.

Update on Saturday, August 21, 2010 at 07:52AM by Kim Riddlebarger

This is a quote from Benny Hinn after being photographed recently in Rome holding hands with another "evangelist," Paula White.  Both deny any wrong-doing.

The more important question is what were these two doing at the Vatican?